Paris Saint-Germain asserted their authority over Liverpool with a 2-0 triumph in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday, though the scoreline could have been far more decisive.
Last season’s European champions found the net once in each half, courtesy of goals from Désiré Doué and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
PSG also had two penalty appeals turned down and squandered several other chances that might have effectively settled the tie ahead of next week’s return at Anfield.
Liverpool, meanwhile, leave Paris with hope intact but face a daunting task, having failed to register a single shot on target.
Manager Arne Slot, reeling from a humiliating 4-0 FA Cup defeat to Manchester City on Saturday, made the surprising decision to bench Mohamed Salah and deploy a three-centre-back formation, a strategy that offered little threat.
Despite PSG’s dominance, Liverpool owed their survival to poor finishing from the visitors and crucial saves from goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, keeping the second leg very much alive.
